


Watching, Waiting

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s04e13 The Long Goodbye
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-04-26
Updated: 2003-04-26
Packaged: 2019-05-31 03:43:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15111083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: 'It's easy for her to stand here and criticize me for not being able to see him this way - she doesn't have to watch him deteriorate.' (Molly's PoV)





	Watching, Waiting

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Watching, Waiting**  
**by:** Kasey

**Character(s):** Molly (CJ's stepmom)  
**Category(s):** POST-EP: The Long Goodbye  
**Rating:** TEEN  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own them. Please don't sue.  
**Summary:** "It's easy for her to stand here and criticize me for not being able to see him this way - she doesn't have to watch him deteriorate." (Molly's PoV)  


She was always a smart girl. Well-spoken, well-written...I knew she'd succeed. I graded her tougher because I wanted to make sure she didn't settle for fluff-work. 

But for someone so smart...she has this way of being single-minded to the point of incomprehension. 

She comes here and rants and demands how dare I leave him when he needs me? Where the hell has she been but off worrying about her own life? Her, her two brothers, they're all the same - all too involved in their jobs to worry about him, too far away or too...whatever. It doesn't matter. The fact remains, they're all too something to come take care of him themselves. 

That's not what I signed on for. I wanted a companion, not a chargee, like I was some sort of hospice nurse. I wanted the man I'd fallen for, whose compassion was evident in all he did, I wanted- 

I wanted the man who could charm me with his wit and make me laugh. 

And now he makes me cry. Because not a day went by that I didn't look at him and see he was gone. Behind those familiar eyes was a shroud of confusion that I couldn't see past. Behind those eyes were nothing I could recognize. 

And yet she comes here and criticizes me for not sticking around - it's easy for her. She doesn't have to sit and see him every day. She comes home for the weekend and cries because he doesn't recognize her - well it's no wonder. He hardly recognized me and he saw me every day, let alone to remember everything the two of them had done? 

It's easy for her to stand here and berate me for not being able to see him this way - she doesn't have to watch him deteriorate. 

I would love to help. And I wish it were happening to anyone but him and not a single DAY goes by that I don't ask God why such a horrible thing had to happen to such a wonderful, sweet, brilliant man. 

Such a systematic devastation. One memory, one symptom at a time. 

But I receive no answers. So I do the best thing I can do. 

She can claim it's selfishness on my part. But look who's flying out of town tomorrow. 


End file.
